Victorian premier cancels Mumbai visit amidst terror fears

The Victorian Premier John Brumby who is visiting India cancelled his visit to Mumbai and will stay for a longer duration in New Delhi due to the travel warnings issued by the Department of Foreign Affairs of Australia. The travel advice issued warns that terror attacks are possible in Mumbai in September or Ovtober 2009. Credible information indicates that terrorists may be planning further attacks in Mumbai, including at places frequented by tourists, in September or October 2009. We continue to receive reporting of possible threats against prominent business and tourist locations, including in Mumbai and New Delhi. Credible reporting suggests that terrorists may be planning attacks in India directed at hotels frequented by foreigners, including perceived western owned hotels. Terrorists may be planning attacks against Indian political and security interests. There is a continuing threat from terrorism throughout India and the upcoming series of major secular and religious holidays could provide terrorist groups an opportunity or pretext to stage an attack.

John Brumby is in India to promote Melbourne as a safe destination for students. The bashing of four Indian men in Melbourne has reignited simmering tensions in India. The bashings in the northern suburb of Epping, not reported by police for four days, left one man with head injuries and a cheekbone fractured in three places, another with a fractured jaw and another with broken teeth. The men were punched and kicked and beaten up with beer bottles. India's consul-general in Victoria, Anita Nayar, said the apparent racist motivation behind the attack was "worrying" and the state government needed to assess whether there was a larger problem. Gautam Gupta of the Federation of Indian Students of Australia accused police of attempting to sweep the incident under the carpet.